History of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Badara
The Democratic Socialist Republic of Badara is the state currently occupying the two Badaran islands of Mutasim and Nashwa. It succeeded the Union of Socialist Sultanates in August 3367. New State The Democratic Socialist Republic of Badara was established in August 3367, with a new constitutional system wherein the head of state was shared between two people, the Eternal Guide of the Vanguard Revolution & the Badaran State, Jalal al-e-Ahmad, and the elected General Secretary. There was a few cosmetic changes, such as, most prominently, a name change, and also a renaming of the legislature to the National Congress of the Vanguard. The flag was also replaced. It was hoped that the foundation of this new nation would usher in an era of greater peace and stability. The Head of State debate had been settled, and the FBA was now defunct (the Movement of Strong Badara had by now renamed itself the Republican Green Vanguards). Vanguard Control In September, the election results stunned the nation. The nation was concerned at the rise of the so-called 'Vanguard parties', the Red Vanguard Society, Defenders of the Vanguard, and Radical League of True Vanguards, who together won 45% of the vote, and also because of the violence that had preceeded the elections. Despite this, national optimism was at an all-time high, with Abdullah al Khalifa of the al-Fostat Times (probably the most-read newspaper in al Badara) declaring that: "Our elections were incontrovertibly flawed. But it has marked, perhaps, the beginning of a new era in our political history". Their success allowed the Vanguard parties to effectively block every democratic or liberalising reform proposed in the legislature, with the assumption that at least one other party would support them or abstain and give them a legislative majority. However, many bills proposed by the more extremist Radical Vanguards also failed, as they could not gain support even from their Vanguard allies. In June 3369, a new Cabinet, comprising of the three Vanguard parties and United Badara was formed. Opposition parties complained that the Cabinet lacked democratic forces. However, despite control of several ministries, the Radical Vanguards still failed to have their bills passed. Totalitariansim In frustration at their legislative failures, the Radical Vanguards proposed the Enabling Act, a hugely controversial piece of legislation that would give the government sweeping powers, suspending civil liberties and giving ministers the power to legislate and veto the proposals of the legislature. It passed due to a number of arrests of opposition legislators on trumped-up charges. While radical bills still failed in the legislature, they were simply enacted through the new legislative powers given to the ministers. Reform bills were vetoed. By late 3370, popular discontent had welled up to the degree that United Badara's ministers resigned from the Cabinet. Mehmet Aksoy, former Finance Minister, won the leadership of that party and led it into opposition to the Vanguard parties. United Badara proposed a repeal of the Enabling Act (which failed); the Justice Minister simply had opposition legislators arrested again. Aksoy and several other United Badara leaders were charged with sedition and treason. In March 3371, with tensions building, the Union of Working People's forces publicly alleged that a coup by illegal Vanguard paramilitary forces was possible, citing sources from military intelligence agencies, and requested a report on the matter. Crisis Develops Six months later, elections took place. While the radical wing of the Vanguard movement gained a significant number of votes, the Defenders were reduced in legislative representation, and the Red Vanguards were crushed, losing over half of their seats in the National Congress. Emboldened by the popular support, the anti-Vanguard parties decided to form government. However, United Badara was not invited to join the coalition, as it was accused of "opportunism" by Freedom, now the new plurality party in the National Congress. However, on February 23, days prior to the passing of the cabinet proposal on March 3, the Justice Minister, on the basis of his judicial authority as per the Enabling Act, declared the election results invalid, and that therefore Jalal al-e-Ahmad remained General Secretary. The cabinet proposal was ruled illegal. Despite this, the Cabinet still managed to pass. The tensions of the past few years had now produced two competing governments, which, inevitably, resulted in civil war. Category:Badara Category:History of Badara